The Legality of Marijuana for Pets in Los Angeles

The clear majority of the residents of Los Angeles, Orange County and other parts of California support the use of medical marijuana. As we learned during the last major election, most voters in our state also now support the sale of marijuana for recreational use too.  The next question that may be needed to be answered by voters is whether marijuana and other cannabis products are legal to give to pets such as cats and dogs for therapeutic use.

As discussed in a recent news article from City Watch, with a majority of states allowing the use of medical marijuana, there is little question the use of marijuana is supported by many across the nation, many in the animal care industry, including veterinarians believe that medical marijuana may be a valid treatment for pets who suffer from serious and debilitating illnesses. There are of course, any other’s who do not support the use of medical marijuana for pets and use the phrase, “Pot isn’t for pets.”There have been many instances of people giving their own medical marijuana to their pets, and there have also been many cases where pets have accidentally been allowed to get into their owner’s supply of medical marijuana as we know from increasing number of reported calls to poison control centers in our area and others.  We are still talking about a very small number of cases as there are an average of 180,000 cases of poisoning across the nation, and only 320 cases involved pets having ingested their owner’s cannabis.  This is however, a more than 50 percent increase from what we saw years ago so the issue is on the radar of those opposed to medical marijuana for pets. There is also the issue that all forms of medical marijuana, no matter who it is used by, is illegal to possess.  This has not been an issue in recent years, but given the statements by the current presidential administration, it may become a problem once again.

Our Riverside medical marijuana attorneys have been helping clients who are trying to get into the industry for a long time. There are many attorneys who are trying to cash in now that the market is being accepted, but you want someone who has been in the trenches when clients were constantly struggling to run a business with constantly shifting laws.  The point of this is that medical marijuana for human use was not always as acceptable as it is now, and this may be the same case for medical marijuana for pets.  There may come a time in the near future when medical marijuana for pets is also acceptable. For now, if you are planning on getting into the business, you should speak with an experienced medical marijuana industry as soon as possible so you can make sure you are on the right side of the law and your liberty and business interests are protected.

The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients and those facing marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

Marijuana: Is ‘Pot Therapy’ Legal for California Dogs and Cats?, October 23, 2017, By Phyllis M. Daugherty, City Watch

More Blog Entries:

Big Cannabis Businesses See Big Tech Deals, Oct. 1, 2017, L.A. Marijuana Lawyer Blog